Once you are assured that you and your innovation meet the criteria specified, that you can commit to the time requirements – including attendance at all quarterly events – and that you have the written support of your employing organisation, you should:

Navigation of the innovation and research infrastructure both within and outside the NHS

Critical challenge and support to refine plans through access to expert advice

Branding: Association with the NIA brand and its partners

Influencing national policy: Opportunities to share experiences with senior leaders at NHS England to explore how to unlock systemic barriers to adoption. One mechanism for this is via the NIA Programme Board, chaired by Professor Stephen Powis, Medical Director, NHS England.

“From the process of application to interviews and eventual acceptance and implementation, you will learn a huge amount – about patients’ needs, the NHS needs’ and your own needs for development. It’s an amazing opportunity.”Sophie Bostock, Sleepio (2016 Fellow)

“Access to any healthcare market with innovations is known to be time consuming and resource intensive. With the NIA, you will have the insights and network to really target your efforts to maximum effect.”Francis White, AliveCor (2015 Fellow)

You can be the inventor of your innovation, the lead for it within your organisation or simply the representative of an innovation you find compelling, and as such, wish to scale it across the NHS.

Applicants, nationally and internationally, can be clinicians; academics; from a public-sector, charitable or not-for-profit organisation; from a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME); from a large corporate.

You should apply if:

Your innovation addresses one or more of the following priorities: prevention and early diagnosis (cancer, cardiovascular disease), mental health, primary care